Big Brother is back this week, with all of your favourite stereotypical characters, from the conniving hot chick to the token gay guy.

A quick glance at the house guests’ photos and bios for the 16th season on CBS and Global shows the producers once again have typecast the same characters that have worked in the past. The show, which confines its cast members to a house together and records their every move, started in the Netherlands in the late 1990s and has spawned dozens of versions around the world, including a Canadian edition.

Here’s a look at who we’ll be watching cat fight and canoodle their way to a half-million dollar prize.

The Tough Girl: Amber Borzotra, 26, was raised by a single mom in low-income housing, and “will stop at nothing to win the money so she can help her mother.” The California-based aesthetician seems like a GinaMarie type (season 15) — outspoken and a little brash, but ultimately good-hearted.

The Hot Mom: We’re bound to hear a lot from Brittany Martinez, 29, about her kids — and newly rekindled dating life — throughout the season. But if Elissa taught us anything last season, it’s that the hot mom can get fierce, fast, and should never be counted out.

The Two-Timing Playboy: This typecast is a Big Brother favourite, giving us some of the most memorable house guests ever, such as Dr. Will (seasons 2 and 7). Filling the role this season is Caleb Reynolds, a 26-year-old adventure hunting guide who says he’s not opposed to “throwing a sexy girl that likes me under the bus.”

The All-American Girl: Christine Brecht, 23, says her nickname is “Bubbly” and that she’s been to Disneyland more than 50 times. That makes the Arizona barista this season’s Jordan (season 11 and 13) — an incredibly sweet girl who will most definitely get screwed over by her housemates. Don’t expect Christine to repeat Jordan and Jeff’s love story, however; her bio also says Christine will miss her husband.

The Boy Next Door: Former pro-soccer player Cody Calafiore is sure to have the ladies in the house swooning with his charm and good looks, but he’s got a relatable side that will have them cooing, too. The 23-year-old New Jersey sales account executive says he’s afraid of losing his family and counts chick flicks among his guilty pleasures. He’s kind of like an Ian (season 14), but without the genius-level intelligence.

The Tough Guy: Derrick Levasseur is a police sergeant in Rhode Island, making him a lock for this year’s tough guy spot. Here’s hoping he’s less obnoxious than last year’s tough guy, Jeremy. The 30-year-old cop seems to have a solid game plan, but could get foiled by whatever unexpected twists Big Brother has in store this season.

The Jock and Token Ethnic Guy: Former pro-baseball player Devin Shepherd is taking on two of the predominant Big Brother clichés — the beefy jock (ala Jessie from season 11) and the token ethnic guy (think Jee from season 4). The 26-year-old Texan seems up to the task, however, saying he plans to make friends over enemies “at all cost.”

The Old Guy: Donny Thompson may not actually be ready for this game; the 42-year-old janitor says in his bio that he’s lived alone for the past 21 years. Many Big Brother old guys have been fan-favourites, starting with “Chicken” George (seasons 1 and 7) and continuing with 75-year-old Jerry in season 10.

The Token Gay: YouTube sensation and former Broadway actor Frankie Grande — singer Ariana Grande’s brother — will be filling the role of the token gay this year. He’s following in the footsteps of last year’s winner Andy, and other notables, such as season 12’s Ragan. The 31-year-old New Yorker is sure to bring his own flair to the position, however. He describes himself as “sparkly, charismatic and unreserved.”

The Kookie Brah: Hayden Voss’s lush blond locks are a dead giveaway that he’s the kookie brah this season. But if you need more convincing, the 21-year-old is also a pedicab driver in Long Beach, Cali. Kookie brahs such as Mike Boogie (seasons 2 and 7) and McRae (season 15) have gone on to be some of Big Brother’s most famous faces.

The Wholesome Mom and Token Ethnic Woman: Big Brother often doubles up on these two type castings (think Helen from last season), and they’ve done it again this year with Jocasta Odom. As a minister and mother of two, the 33-year-old Georgia native exudes goodness, which could be her downfall.

The Alternative One: Seattle hairstylist and makeup artist Joey Van Pelt will fill the role of the alternative one this year, but it doesn’t look like she’ll follow in the shoes of her predecessors such as Evil Dick (seasons 8 and 13) and Nakomis (seasons 5 and 7) by becoming a divisive, moody force in the house. The 27-year-old’s strategy is to be “the nicest person to ever win the show.”

The Ditzy Hot Chick: She may be a recent nursing graduate, but Nicole Franzel seems poised to be the ditzy hot chick this year. That may not be a bad thing for the 21-year-old Michigan native — former ditzy hot chicks such as Aaryn (last season) and Britney (seasons 12 and 14) have gone far in the game by teaming up with hunky dudes and winning favour from folks at home.

The Conniving Hot Chick: It’s tough to say without watching her in action, but Paola Shea may just be this season’s conniving hot chick. If so, the 27-year-old DJ from Astoria, N.Y. would have some giant high heels to fill; characters such as Janelle (seasons 6 and 7) and Rachel (seasons 12 and 13) have given us some of the greatest moments — and lines — in Big Brother history.

The Hot Brunette: There’s always a lot of blond on Big Brother — more so, perhaps than in the real world. But every year, producers throw in a hot brunette to mix things up. This year’s offering is Victoria Rafaeli, a 22-year-old photographer who lists both Brooklyn and Holon, Israel as her hometowns. The hot brunette often teams up with one of the other hot chicks to wrangle some good-looking gents into an alliance, as Kaitlin did last season.

The Dumb Hot Dude: Zach Rance, 23, describes himself as a “con artist” and aspires to be a professional golf caddy. The Floridian may not be as likeable as some of the dumb hot dudes of seasons past (think Lane from season 12 or David from season 15), but this recent economics grad will likely be entertaining.

Season 16 of Big Brother airs Wednesday, June 25, at 8 p.m. on CBS and 10 p.m. on Global. This season’s twists include having two Heads of Household every week, and a new challenge called “Battle of the Block” where no one is safe from eviction.

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